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Pmented April 12,1881.

N4 PETER (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

W. C. BVA-NTS Fruit Driel". No. 240,111. PaaltentedApril12,1881.v

eeeaooooo' N-FETERS. PHoTo-LWHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE.,

WILLIAM O. EVANTS, OF MYRTLE GREEK, OREGON.

vFRUIT-DINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,111, dated April12, 1881.

Application filed July 20, 1880. (No model.)

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. EvAN'rs, of Myrtle Creek, Douglas county,Oregon, have invented an Improvement in Fruit-Driers, of which thefollowing is the speciication.

This invention relates to apparatus for drying fruit, vegetables, fish,meat, Ste., in which the article to be dried is exposed on horizontaltrays to the action of artificial heat within a drying-chamber.

The invention consists, Jiirst, in a novel combination of tire-boxes anddue-tubes, whereby a large and efficient radiating-surface is formed andheated secondly, in provision for readily cleaning said lille-tubes, soas to preserve their efficiency; thirdly, in a novel combination ofparts, constituting a superior tray-elevator for use when a continuousoperation is` an object.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of afruit-drier, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontalsection of the same on the line l 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section. Figs. 3"L and Slare face views of one pair of thetrayelevatorrods,illustratingtheiroperation. Fig. 4 is a-perspectiveview, and Fig. 5 a longitudinal section, showing one ot' the gravitatingpawls of the tray-elevator. Figs. 6 and 7 are `perspective views,illustrating other details.

Like letters of reference indicate correspon d ing parts in the severalfigures.

In carrying out this invention I form a long rectangular hot-airchamber, C, having verti- -cal walls and an open top, and at the ends ofthis chamber I form externally a pair ot' tireboxes, B B2. The walls zz', to a sufficient height for safety, including those of the fireboxes,have been built of brick, and the brick walls at the ends of the chamberC have vertical escape-tlues f f2 and smoke-chambers s s2 formed withinthem, the latter collecting the discharge from the several liues intometallic chimneys or escape-pipes P P2, one at each end of theapparatus.

From the lire-box B a horizontal series of flue-tubes, r, extends to theopposite end of the chamber C and discharges into the flues f, and fromlthe re-box B2 alike series of linetubes, r2, extends to the ues f2 inthe wall adjoining the tire-box B, the respective series of Hue-tubesalternating with each other, as

illustrated in Fig. 2, with the sides of adjoining tubes parallel andclose to ea'ch other, forming contracted air-passages. The effect ofthis arrangement is to utilize the heat of the products of combustion tothe utmost degree, and at the same time to equalize the distribu tionot' heat throughout the drying'ch amber without complication ot' parts.

Opposite the open ends of the flue-tubes 1" r2, I form holes c c2, forthe insertion and removal of flue-cleaners, and I provide these holeswith plugs p, one ot' which is shown in perspective in Fig. 6, eachconsisting of a cast-iron shell filled with clay or cement. Myarrangement of parts facilitates making and using this provision, as theliuc-tubes are all at one convenient height.

Each lire-box has a horizontal grate and ashpit extending from front torear, and each ashpit is provided with an air-inlet, a', which mayextend from end to end thereof, having a suitable damper, d', toregulate the supply of oxygen to the n're. Each ash-pitis also providedwith a pair of ash-drawers, d, removable from its respective ends, andeach fire-chamber has at front and rear a water-door, D, cast with anopening, x, at top, to provide for readily filling the same. Provisionis thus made for maintaining tires of any required intensity withoutdanger to the apparatus, and the use of cord-Wood and like fuel isfacilitated.

Beneath the flue-tubes r r2 small air-inlets a are formed in the wallsof the chamber C, and above the tubes transverse water-pipes 'w arearranged, to supply sufcient humidity to the hot air t0 preventscorching, and also to prevent forming dry crusts on the pieces offruit, which, without this provision, are liable to have the escape ofinternal moisture prevented by premature surface-drying. I form saidwater-pipes of L shape, as shown in Fig.

7, with the longer leg of each horizontal, and

with this horizontal `leg plugged or otherwise closed at its outer end,and provided at its top with small holes for the escape of vapor fromthe water, the short leg being vertical and open, to provide for fillingthe pipe.

Above the fire-proof walls above described I extend the chamber C bymeans of wooden walls to form the drying-chamber, which, in theillustration, consists of two sections, C C2,

IOO

' in its lowest position.

illustrating two modes of supporting and handlin g the fruit-trays t t2.Section C is provided with four pairs of vertical slide-rods, R R',having gravitating pawls y, Figs. 4 and 5, and connected at their upperends by ropes yor chains v c', passing over loose pulleys g q to areversible windlass, W, to which the respective ropes or chains areattached, so as to lower one rod of each pair and lift the other a givendistance simultaneously. The several pairs of slide-rods are located atthe respective corners of the tray-space Within the section, and at thebottom and top ot' this space feed and discharge openings o n are formedin the front and rear walls, or either of them, as shown. The traysbearing the fruit are introduced through the opening' o, and, by turningthe windlass W lirst in one direction and then in the other, are raised,step by step, to the opening a. When a tray is removed through n,another is elevated to its place, and a fresh tray is introduced througho, and thusthe operation proceeds. A trayjust introduced through theopening 0 is indicated at #in Fig. 3*L by dotted lines, and precedingtrays are indicated at t t, the rod R of apair of rods being shownDuring the upstroke of this rod (indicated by the arrow thereon) itspawls y carry the series of trays upward half a space, lifting the trayt', for example, from the position indicated in Fig. SiL to the positionindicated in Fig. 3b, the line o in the latter tigure indicating thelevel ot' the feedopening. During the succeeding upstroke of the rod Itthe pawls of this rod lift the lower trays to the positions indicated infull lines in Fig. 31, making room for another tray below.

While one rod ot' each pair is ascending the other is descending, thepawls y of the descending rods being forced back into the recesses oftherods in passing the trays t, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5.As soon as the pawls pass below the trays they drop into effectiveposition. By employing a pair ing th'e upper tray too far from theradiatortubes. The openings m are provided with tightly-litting doors toconne the heat.

In connection with my arrangement of heatgenerating devices, anypreferred method of' supporting and handling the trays may bc adopted.The apparatus may also be modified as to materials and details ofconstruction, the number of tubes and Water-pipes, and the like, and theapparatus may be used for drying vegetables, fish, meat, &c., withoutdeparting from my invention.

I have found that the tubes w may be made efective means of introducingthe vapor of acidulated or preservative liquids, as sulphurous acid,into intimate contact with the fruit, with great advantage to thelatter.

I do not claim herein this method of treating fruit, nor my saidL-shaped water-tubes w, but may claim the same in another applicationfor patent to be filed hereafter.

I claim- 1. In a drying apparatus, the combination, substantially asherein described, ot' a pair ot' lire-boxes at the respective ends ofthehot-air chamber, a pair of tine-walls at opposite ends ot' said chamber,and two series of tine-tubes extending in opposite directions from endto end of said chamber, and connecting the respective tire-boxes withthe flues in said fluewalls, for the purposes set forth.

2. rIhe fire-boxes B B2, provided with the cleaner-holes'cc?, and plugsp, in combination with the horizontal series ot' line-tubes r r2 in linewith said cleaner-holes, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the windlass W, ropes or chains fu c', and pulleysq q', and the slide- 'rods R R', having` gravit-ating pawls y, saidslide-rods R It being arranged in pairs at the respective corners of thetray-space, and one of each pair raised while the other is low- `ered,as herein described, for the purpose set

